Cup dispenser invertible to dispense cups of different sizes



Jan. 7, 1969 A. s. GRAHAM, JR

CUP DIS bENSER INVERTIBLE TO DISPENSE CUPS OF DIFFERENT SIZES Filed Oct. 27, 1967 Sheet 013 INVENTOR. ANDREW JTI/ARD GEN/4M J Jan; 7, 1969 A. s. GRAHAM, JR

CUP DISPENSER INVERTIBLE TO DISPENSE CUPS OF DIFFERENT SIZES Filed Oct. 27, 1967 Sheet 2 015 INVENTOR. AND/ifh/ JTV/l/FD GPA/1AM J Jan. 7, 1969 A. s. GRAHAM, JR 3,420,406

CUP DISPENSER INVERTIBLE TO DISPENSE CUPS OF DIFFERENT SIZES Sheet Filed Oct. 27, 1967 United States Patent 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLUSURE A dispenser for disposable cups, adapted alternatively to dispense cups of different sizes by inversion of the cover of the dispenser with relation to the base and without adjustment of dispenser parts. The dispenser is inclined to facilitate removal of the cups being dispensed particularly when the dispenser is mounted on the wall between the counter shelf and upper cupboards of kitchen cabinetwork.

This invention relates to dispensing equipment and is particularly adapted to the dispensing of disposable cups, for instance cups made of paper or plastic, such as are commonly used in a wide variety of locations, for instance washrooms, drinking fountains, bathrooms, kitchens and the like.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a dispenser which is capable of alternatively dispensing cups of diiferent sizes without requiring the use of adjustable parts, this objective being achieved according to the invention by the provision of a dispenser comprising only two pieces or parts, namely a mounting base and a cup-receiving cover, the cover and base being interengageable to support the cover on the base and the cover also being separable from the base and invertible endfor-end, in order to provide alternatively for the dispensing of two ditierent sizes of cups.

The dispenser of the present invention is also very simple to install and use, the cover being separable from the base for refilling or inversion merely by slight lifting to disengage interlocking tongue and socket parts, whereupon the cover may be released completely from the base and handled separately for refilling or inversion.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a dispenser of the kind above described in which no fastening parts, such as thumb screws or the like, need be released or tightened when removing or replacing the cover.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention the dispenser is so proportioned as to permit convenient installation on the wall surface between a counter shelf and an upper cupboard of a kitchen cabinet, and with this type of mounting in mind the invention further provides a mounting base for the dispenser which supports the cupreceiving cover in an inclined position, the inclination being downwardly and outwardly, thereby facilitating the piecemeal hand removal of the cups being dispensed, notwithstanding the relatively small vertical distance frequently provided in kitchen cabinets between the counter shelf and the overlying cupboard.

The invention also contemplates the construction of the mounting base and cup-receiving cover of the dispenser so that these parts may readily be formed as plastic or resin moldings, advantageously injection moldings, and thereby provide for very inexpensive manufacture.

The construction of the parts of the dispenser is also well adapted to the use of opaque plastic material for the base and clear or transparent plastic material for the cupreceiving cover, so that the number of cups remaining in the dispenser may readily be observed.

How the foregoing objects and advantages, together with others which will occur to those skilled in the art, are attained will be clear from the following description referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of a dispenser constructed according to the present invention and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser according to the invention mounted in a generally upright position, as in the case of mounting the dispenser on a vertical wall;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a kitchen cabinet installation, with the dispenser shown in FIGURE 1 mounted on the vertical wall between the counter shelf and the overlying cupboard;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the base of the dispenser;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the cover of the dispenser, with the cup dispensing rings at the two ends of the cover separated, to facilitate illustration of the construction thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view through the base and cover of the dispenser shown in the other figures, with the base mounted on a vertical wall at the right of the figure, this view showing, in dot and dash lines, two additional views of the cover as it is being removed from the base;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by the section line 6-6 on FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a mounting arrangement for the base, this view being taken as indicated by the line 77 on FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of a modified arrangement for mounting a cup dispensing ring in one end of the cover.

The dispenser of the invention is formed essentially of two parts, one of which is a base B and the other a cover C, the base being arranged to mount the dispenser and the cover being adapted to receive a stack of nested cups to be dispensed, such cups being shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

In the preferred embodiment, the cover C has side walls 9-9, a front wall 10 and end walls 1111, forming an elongated box-like structure, the walls of which are advantageously somewhat curved in the manner illustrated in various of the figures. All of the cover walls are also advantageously formed of a plastic material, such for example as polystyrene, and a portion or all of such walls are also desirably transparent, to disclose the number of cups remaining.

In the preferred embodiment the two opposite ends of the cover are advantageously formed as symmetrical counterparts so that the cover may be inverted in position end-for-end without altering the appearance thereof and so that either end may occupy the lower position in relation to the base and be interengaged with the base and thus provide for mounting of the cover with either end presented downwardly. Each end wall 11 of the cover is provided with an opening 12, there two opening being of the same size in the preferred construction and the holes being provided to receive cup dispensing means such as the rings indicated at 13 and 14 in FIGURE 4. Ring 13 is provided with cup dispensing means appropriate to the particular cups to be dispensed, for example, as shown, ring 13 is provided with internal ridges 15 distributed at spaced intervals around the inside of the ring and positioned to engage the lips of the cups as they descend into the ring in order to support the stack of cups within the cover, with the bottommost cup projecting downwardly out of the cover in position to be grasped by the hand and withdrawn from the dispensing ring.

The ring .13 is adapted to be mounted and retained in its position within the aperture 12 of the end wall 11 by means of cleats 16 and 17 arranged in two series around the external surface of the ring and projecting therefrom in position to engage the top or bottom edge of the wall 11. These cleats 16 and 17 are desirably positioned in alternate or staggered relation around the circumference of the ring as is shown in FIGURES 4 and 6. Although a different number of the cleats may be employed, in the embodiment hereshown, the ring 13 is provided with four of the upper cleats 16 and four of the lower cleats 17, this being an appropriate number for the purpose of positioning the ring by engagement with the top and bottom surfaces of the wall 11. As illustrated, the cleats 16 and 17 are wedge shaped, with the high point of the wedge lying adjacent to the wall 11 when the ring is inserted in the aperture 12 thereof.

By arranging the cleats in the manner referred to and also by using cleats of wedge shape, it is practicable to insert the ring into the opening 12 merely by applying sufiicient pressure to slightly deform the shape of the ring as the cleats snap past the edge of the wall 11 surrounding the opening 12.

The ring 13 (and also ring 14 to be described herebelow) is desirably formed as a molding of plastic or resin material, for instance polypropylene.

The ring 14 is of smaller size than the ring 13, being adapted to dispense a smaller size cup, and is provided with an external flange 18 secured thereto and of Width sufficient to provide an external peripheral surface fitting the aperture 12 in the end wall 11 of the cover. As in the case of ring 13, ridges 15 are provided for engagement of the lips of cups to be dispensed. Moreover fastening cleats such as indicated at 19 and are provided on this ring, these cleats being similar to those provided on the ring 13, but here being of different size or configuration in order to extend from the ring slightly beyond the periphery of the flange 18 and thus provide for mounting and positioning of the ring 14 within the aperture 12 in the end wall 11.

The end walls 11 are preferably somewhat inclined with reference to the central axis x through the openings 12, and the end walls are also advantageously stepped as indicated at 11a in FIGURE 4, these features of configuration being provided to facilitate molding. Because of the inclination and the step of the walls 11, the cleats 16 and 17 on ring 13, and 19 and 20 on ring 14, are somewhat offset axially of the rings in order to provide for accurate positioning of the rings with reference to the axis x through the opening 12, 12.

In a typical dispenser according to the invention, the inclination of the axis of the cover and thus of the stack of cups is advantageously of the order of 15 to 20 deg., this angle serving to materially increase the facility of cup removal, even where the dispenser is located as in FIGURE 1 between a kitchen counter shelf and an overlying cupboard.

The cup dispenser of the present invention is striking from the standpoint of simplicity of handling when it is desired to change over from one cup size to another cup size, and the arrangement is virtually foolproof, requiring nothing but inversion of the cover, without the necessity for any adjustment of mechanical parts.

With rings mounted as by means of cleats 16 and 17 or 19 and 20, it is practicable to remove and insert the rings, so that, if desired the dispenser may be employed alternatively for the dispensing of even more than two different sizes of sups. On the other hand if desired the rings may be permanently mounted in the cover, and this may be achieved by proportioning the wedge shaped cleats so that the rings may be forced into position, but may not be withdrawn again. Alternatively, and instead of employing mounting cleats, the rings may simply be adhesively bonded or welded in position, for instance, as indicated in FIGURE 8, by the weld joint 18a between the end wall 11 of the cover and the flange 18b of the mounting ring 14a, all of these parts, being similar to the upper ring shown in FIGURE 4, differing only in that the cleats are omitted.

If desired each of the rings 13 and 14 may be cut out at one side as indicated at 21 for the purpose of facilitating the insertion into the cover of a stack of nested cups of somewhat greater length than is practicable to insert in the absence of the cut out portions of the rings. This permits insertion of a larger number of cups of the larger size in association with ring 13, such insertion being effected through the open back side of the cover. The smaller size cups which are dispensed by the ring 14 may be inserted either through the open back side of the cover or alternatively through the ring 13 at the opposite end of the cover, since the ring 13 is of larger diameter and will readily pass the smaller cups.

Turning now to the construction of the base B, it is first noted that the base is desirably formed as a molding, for instance of colored opaque polystyrene. It will be seen that this base is provided with side walls 22, with an inclined back wall 23 having rearward projections 24-24 and 25-25 toward the lower and upper ends of the back wall, with flat mounting surfaces 26 and 27 each provided with one or more apertures 28 for cooperation with screws 29 for the purpose of attaching the base of the dispenser to a supporting surface, such as the surface of the wall indicated at W in FIGURES 5 and 2.

Attention is now called to the fact that the cover C is provided at each end with a pair of projecting lugs or tongues 30, 30 which are symmetrically arranged but which are oppositely oriented so that the tongues at either end of the cover may be engaged in the sockets 31 formed toward the bottom of the base B. The base further has a top or wall structure 32 projecting into a position overlying the upper end of the cover C when the cover is assembled with the base. The wall structure 32 is provided with an internal cavity adapted to receive the upper end of the cover and to enclose at least a part of the cup dispensing means or ring at that end of the cover which is presented upwardly. The cavity in the wall structure 32 is of sufficient depth to accommodate upward shifting movement of the cover with respect to the base as is required in order to disengage the tongues 30 from the sockets 31, whereupon the lower end of the cover may be swung outwardly away from the base, and the cover may be withdrawn from the base through a position indicated by dot and dash lines at C1 in FIGURE 5, and may ultimately be completely separated, as is indicated by the dot and dash position C2 in FIGURE 5. Reinsertion of the cover may of course be accomplished by a reversal of the motions just described, and because of the symmetry of the parts of the cover at each end thereof, the cover may be inserted in either end-for-end position.

The cover C is also positioned with reference to the base by projecting flanges 33 formed on the cover and positioned to overly the front edges 34 of the side walls 22 of the base. Thus, when the cover and the base are assembled, the front edges 34 of the side walls 22 of the base and the down-turned edge 35 of thetop wall structure 32 cooperate in positioning the cover, especially the upper end of the cover and provide against undesired shifting of the upper end toward and away from the wall on which the dispenser is mounted. The down-turned edge portions 36 of the top wall structure 32 and also the side walls 22 of the base serve to position the cover as against lateral shifting movement. Finally, the interengagement of the tongues 30 in the grooves 31, restrain outward movement of the lower end of the cover, except when the cover is shifted upwardly, as above described.

The back inclined wall 23 of the base preferably has a surface, such as the curved surface 35 positioned to provide a support for the stack of cups in the cover, thereby maintaining the stack in the desired inclined position within the cover. This surface 37 is advantageously located to cooperate with the lips of the cups of the largest size to be dispensed by any particular embodiment of the dispenser. In the case of a dispenser adapted alternatively for the dispensing of cups of two sizes, for instance 9 oz. and 5 02. cups, the surface 37 is preferably positioned and configured to cooperate with the stack of 9 02. cups, and in the event of use of the dispenser with 5 oz. cups, a slight rearward canting of the stack may occur, but the extent of such additional inclination would at most only be a small fraction of an inch, since with most 9 and 5 oz. cups currently available there is only about /2 inch difference in diameter between the lips thereof, so that the maximum additional rearward inclination with the stack of 5 oz. cups would only be inch.

I claim:

1. A cup dispenser comprising a base having mounting means for attachment to a supporting surface with the dispenser positioned to dispense the cups downwardly, and a cover for enclosing a stack of nested cups to be dispensed, the base and cover having interengageable surfaces mounting the cover in a position inclined to the vertical, the cover having openings at opposite ends thereof to provide alternatively for dispensing of cups from either end of the cover and the opposite ends of the cover having dispensing means respectively proportioned to dispense cups of diiferent sizes, the base and cover having separable interfitting parts providing for alternative mounting of the cover on the base with either of the opposite ends positioned downwardly, and the base having a top projecting therefrom to overly the end of the cover presented upwardly.

2. A cup dispenser comprising a base having mounting means for attachment to a supporting surface with the dispenser positioned to dispense the cups downwardly, and a cover for enclosing a stack of nested cups to be dispensed, the cover having openings at opposite ends thereof to provide alternatively for dispensing of cups from either end of the cover, the end openings being of the same size and having cup dispensing rings therein, the ring for each end opening having an outside surface fitting the end opening and the two rings having inside surfaces of different size to engage and dispense cups of different size, and the cover having separable interfitting parts providing for alternative mounting of the cover on the base with either of the opposite ends presented downwardly.

3. A cup dispenser according to claim 2 in which the dispensing rings have disengageable fastening devices providing for separable mounting of the rings in the end wall openings of the cover.

4. A cup dispenser according to claim 2 in which the dispensing rings and the cover are formed as separate parts and are unitarily interconnected.

5. A cup dispenser comprising a base having mounting means for attachment to a supporting surface with the dispenser positioned to dispense the cups downwardly, and a cover for enclosing a stack of nested cups to be dispensed, the cover having openings at opposite ends thereof to provide alternatively for dispensing of cups from either end of the cover and the opposite ends of the cover having dispensing means respectively proportioned to dispense cups of different sizes, and the base and cover having separable interfitting parts provided for alternative mounting of the cover on the base with either of the opposite ends presented downwardly.

6. A cup dispenser comprising a mounting base and a cup-receiving cover having interengageable parts providing for support of the cover on the base but being separable at will, the cover having openings at opposite ends thereof and having means for dispensing cups of different sizes through the openings at the opposite ends of the cover, and the cover having symmetrically configured base interengaging parts toward its opposite ends providing for interengagement with the base in either end-for-end position of the cover with respect to the base.

7. A cup dispenser according to claim 6 in which the interengageable parts on the base and cover include interlocking tongue and socket parts interengageable and separable by relative shifting movement of the base and cover in directions endwise of the cover, one such interlocking part being provided toward one end thereof and the other such part being symmetrically duplicated toward both ends of the cover, the cover being separable from the base upon separation of the said parts.

8. A cup dispenser according to claim 7 in which the base has a wall structure projecting therefrom in position to overly the end of the cover opposite to the end where said interlocking parts are interengaged, said wall structure having a cavity receiving the adjacent end of the cover and restraining that end of the cover against separation from the base While the interlocking parts are interengaged, the cavity of said Wall structure being of sufficient depth to accommodate the relative shifting movement of the cover and base required to separate the interlocking parts located toward the other end of the cover, and thereby provide for displacement of said other end from the base and then for generally axial movement of the cover with respect to the base in a direction to disengage the end of the cover adjacent said wall structure from the cavity therein.

9. A cup dispenser comprising a mounting base and an elongated cup-receiving cover having interengageable parts providing for support of the cover on the base but being separable at will, the base having mounting means for attachment to an upright supporting surface and the interengageable parts of the base and cover providing for support of the cover in a generally upright position but inclined from the vertical in a direction downwardly and away from the supporting surface, the cover having openings at its opposite upper and lower ends and having means for dispensing cups of different sizes through the openings at the opposite ends of the cover, and the cover having symmetrically configured base interengaging parts respectively oriented in opposite directions lengthwise of the cover providing for interengagement with the base in either end-for-end position of the cover with respect to the base.

10. A cup dispenser according to claim 9 in which the base has a wall structure projecting therefrom in position to overly and enclose at least part of the dispensing means of the cover at the upper end thereof.

11. A cup dispenser according to claim 9 in which the side of the cover adjacent the base is open and in which the base has a surface positioned to contact the edges of a plurality of stacked cups received in the cover and inclined to support the stack of cups in inclined position corresponding to the inclination of the cover.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,573,027 2/1926 Barbieri 221-63 X 1,753,357 4/1930 Wood et a1 221-46 2,496,812 2/ 1950 Perelman 22163 X 2,358,709 9/1944 Hayn 22161 3,165,234 1/1965 Conklin et a1 221-303 X 3,288,329 11/1966 Ketchem 221-310 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

